Petunia plant named &#39;Sunlapur&#39;

ABSTRACT

‘SUNLAPUR’ is a decumbent plant, with very large and vivid purplish red flowers, which is suitable for potting and flower bedding. The spreading area of the plant is very large. This plant has abundant branching. The length of internodes is 2.8cm. The leaf shape is lanceolate with some pubescence on the surface, having small petiole. Leaf color is dark green.  
     The flowers are single and very large. Facing direction of flowers is slightly upward to horizontal. Ground color of flower is vivid reddish purple with dark purple vein. The bottom color of inside of throat is strong purple and the outside color of corolla tube is reddish purple. Shape of petal tip is acute, lobation is deep, and waving is medium.  
     The plant exhibits early flowering. It has a high resistance to rain, heat, disease and moderate resistance to pests.

BACKGROUND OF THE VARIETY

[0001] The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety ofpetunia plant obtained from crossing a wild-type petunia plant native toBrazil, as the male parent, and a cultivar ‘Titan Red’ as the femaleparent.

[0002] The petunia is a very popular plant and is used for flowerbedding and potting in the summer season. There are only a few varietiesof the petunia plant which do not have an upright growth habit and whichhave a high resistance to rain, heat, cold, and diseases. The petuniapreviously filed, i.e., the ‘Revolution’ series [(Revolution Purplepink(US Pat. No, Plant 6,915), Revolution Brilliantpink (US Pat. No, Plant6,914), Revolution Brilliantpink-mini (US Pat. No, Plant 6,899)) is adecumbent type plant having long stems, a lower plant height, abundantbranching, and a high resistance to heat, cold and rain. However, thereare only a few varieties having a great profusion of flowers, vividreddish purple color and large flower and a high resistance to rain,heat, cold and diseases. Accordingly, this invention was aimed atobtaining a new variety having a vivid reddish purple color and largeflower, together with the above features.

[0003] The new variety of petunia plant according to this inventionoriginated from crossing a wild-type petunia plant, native to Brazil andwhich had decumbent habit, as the male parent and a cultivar ‘TitanRed’, produced from a seedling, as the female parent in April 1995. Fromthat crossing, 384 seedlings were obtained in July 1995. A trial byflower potting was carried out and 15 seedlings were selected. These 15seedlings were propagated by cutting, and grown, as a trial, by flowerbedding and in a container. The botanical characteristics of theseplants were examined, using similar variety ‘Revolution brilliantpink’and ‘Revolution brilliantpink- mini’ for comparison. Finally, only onepetunia plant was selected in December 1996. As a result, it wasconcluded that this new variety is distinguishable from other varietiesespecially in flower size, and this variety of petunia plant was named‘SUNLAPUR’.

[0004] The wild-type petunia plant, native to Brazil and used as maleparent is presently maintained at Oumi Nursery Center of SUNTORY Ltd.residing at 863-1, Aza-Iketani, Oomori-cho, Yokaichi-shi, Shiga-ken,Japan.

[0005] This new variety of petunia plant named ‘SUNLAPUR’ was asexuallyreproduced by cutting at the aforementioned Oumi Nursery Center ofSUNTORY Ltd. and the homogeneity and stability thereof were confirmed.

[0006] In the following description, the color-coding is in accordancewith the Horticultural Color Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society,London, England (R.H.S. Color Chart), and the Inter-Society ColorCouncil-Nation Bureau of Standards Color Name (I.S.C.C.-N.B.S. ColorName). A color chart based on The Japan Color Standard for HorticulturalPlants (J.H.S. Color Chart) is also added for reference.

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY

[0007] Disclosed herein is a decumbent type petunia plant named‘ISUNLAPUR’ having very large vivid reddish purple flowers. The planthas abundant branching, a great profusion of blooms, and the whole bushremains in bloom for a considerable period of time. The plant is highlyresistant to rain, heat, cold and disease. This new variety of petuniaplant is suitable for potting, hanging pots and flower bedding.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008]FIG. 1 is photograph giving a partial view of the new variety ofpetunia plant named ‘SUNLAPUR’;

[0009]FIG. 2 is a photograph of flowers of the new variety of petuniaplant named ‘SUNLAPUR’.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

[0010] The new variety of Petunia plant ‘SUNLAPUR’ is different from asimilar variety, ‘Revolution Brilliantpink’ in the following points,

[0011] 1. The length of main stem from the base to the first floweringnode of ‘SUNLAPUR’ is 14 cm and is shorter than the 50 cm of ‘RevolutionBrilliant pink’.

[0012] 2. There is no anthocyanin coloration on the stem of ‘SUNLAPUR’as against the stem of ‘Revolution Brilliant pink’ that shows someanthocyanin coloration.

[0013] 3. The shape of leaves of ‘SUNLAPUR’ is lanceolate as against theleaf of ‘Revolution Brilliant pink’ is elliptic.

[0014] 4. The attaching angle of the upper leaf of the main stem of‘SUNLAPUR’ is horizontal to droopy as against the leaf of ‘RevolutionBrilliantpink’ that is attached slightly upward to horizontal.

[0015] 5. The surface color of leaf of ‘SUNLAPUR’ is dark green (RHSC.C. No.137A) as against the color of ‘Revolution Brilliantpink’ whichis dark yellowish green (RHS C.C. No.146A).

[0016] 6. The flower size of ‘SUNLAPUR’ is larger than that of‘Revolution Brilliantpink’.

[0017] 7. The flower color of ‘SUNLAPUR’ is vivid reddish purple (RHSC.C. No.74A) with dark purple vein (RHS C.C. No.79B) as against theflower color of ‘Revolution Brilliantpink’ that shows vivid reddishpurple (RHS C.C. No.74A) without patterns.

[0018] 8. The bottom color of the inside of the throat of ‘SUNLAPUR’ isstrong purple (RHS C.C. No.83D) as against the throat of ‘RevolutionBrilliant pink’ that shows dark grayish purple (RHS C.C. No.79A).

[0019] 9. The outside color of the corolla tube of ‘SUNLAPUR’ is reddishpurple (RHS C.C. No.77A) as against the color of the corolla tube of‘Revolution Brilliantpink’ that shows deep purplish pink (RHS C.C.No.70C).

[0020] 10. The lobation of the petals of ‘SUNLAPUR’ is deeper than thatof ‘Revolution Brilliantpink’.

[0021] The new variety of Petunia plant ‘SUNLAPUR’ is different from asimilar variety, ‘Revolution Brilliantpink mini’ in following points,

[0022] 1. The pubesence of the leaf of ‘SUNLAPUR’ is thicker than thatof ‘Revolution Brilliantpink mini’.

[0023] 2. The flower size of ‘SUNLAPUR’ is larger than that of‘Revolution Brilliantpink mini’.

[0024] 3. The flower color of ‘SUNLAPUR’ is vivid reddish purple (RHSC.C. No.74A) with dark purple vain (RHS C.C. No.79B) as against theflower of ‘Revolution Brilliantpink-mini’ that shows strong reddishpurple (RHS C.C. No.72A) with dark grayish purple vein (RHS C.C.No.79A).

[0025] 4. The bottom color of the inside of the throat of ‘SUNLAPUR’ isstrong purple (RHS C.C. No.83D) as against the throat of ‘RevolutionBrilliantpink-mini’ that shows moderate purple (RHS C.C. No.83B).

[0026] 5. The outside color of corolla tube of ‘SUNLAPUR’ is reddishpurple (RHS C.C. No.77A) as against the corolla tube of ‘RevolutionBrilliantpink-mini’ that shows strong reddish purple (RHS C.C. No.77B).

[0027] 6. The shape of petal tip of ‘SUNLAPUR’ is acute as against thepetal tip of ‘Revolution Brilliantpink mini’ is obverse.

[0028] 7. The lobation of the petals of ‘SUNLAPUR’ is deeper than thatof ‘Revolution Brilliantpink- mini’.

[0029] 8. The pistil and stamen of ‘SUNLAPUR’ are thinner than that of‘Revolution Brilliantpink -mini’. ‘SUNLAPUR’ is a decumbent plant, withvery large and vivid redish flowers, which is suitable for potting andflower bedding. The spreading area of the plant is very large and theplant height is 11.5cm at the blooming time of the 5^(th) to the 10^(th)flower. Diameter of stem is 2.8 mm, with no anthocyanin coloration. Thisplant has abundant branching. The length of the internode is 2.8 cm.

[0030] The leaves are medium size, 66mm in length, 27 mm in width, 0.4mm in thickness. Leaf shape is lanceolate, with some pubescence on thesurface, and has a small petiole. Leaf color is dark green (RHS C.C.No.137A).

[0031] The flowers are single and very large, 10 cm in diameter. Thefacing direction of flowers is slightly upward to horizontal. The groundcolor of flower is vivid reddish purple (RHS C.C. No.74A) with darkpurple (RHS C.C. No.79B) vein. The bottom color of inside of throat isstrong purple (RHS C.C. No.83D) and the outside color of corolla tube isreddish purple (RHS C.C. No.77A). Shape of petal tip is acute, lobationis deep, and waving is medium. Shape of calyx is medium. Shape of stamenis normal and number of stamens are 5. Shape of pistil is normal andnumber of pistil is one. Relative position of stigma and anthers isconcave. Length of peduncle is 21 mm, 1.6 mm in diameter.

[0032] The plant exhibits early flowering. It has a high resistance torain, heat, disease and moderate resistance to pests.

1. The new and distinct variety of Petunia plant, substantially asherein illustrated and described, characterized particularly as tonovelty by (A) being decumbent, (B) having an abundant branching and agreat profusion of blooms, the whole bush remaining in bloom forconsiderable period of time, (C) having flowers that are single and verylarge, the petals having a vivid reddish purple color with dark purplevein, and (D) having high resistance to rain, heat, disease.